E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 145 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1999 No. 28 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was fied America. It is now time to set other citizens are guaranteed? Are called to order by the Speaker pro tem- aside the differences that have divided there two different kinds of citizenship pore (Mr. STEARNS). us along party lines and work together in our Nation, the example of democ- f for the good of the country. racy? Yesterday we commemorated George What is even more discouraging is DESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER Washington's birthday, an everlasting that not only the great expectations PRO TEMPORE model of leadership and achievement, for future success and equal participa- The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- 200 years ago, as our first President tion do not apply to Puerto Ricans in fore the House the following commu- ably led the United States from revolu- the islands but that residents in the is- nication from the Speaker: tion into democracy. land will continue to lag further and WASHINGTON, DC, Today, there are many issues that further behind as they are fenced out February 23, 1999. claim congressional attention for im- from the rest of the Nation. I hereby appoint the Honorable CLIFF mediate action, including specific im- Throughout my political life, I have STEARNS to act as Speaker pro tempore on provements for Social Security, edu- fought to provide equality for the this day. cation, greater access to health care, United States citizens in Puerto Rico J. DENNIS HASTERT, employment, taxes, the environment and I wonder how our Nation can con- Speaker of the House of Representatives. and economic opportunity and prosper- tinue to maintain separate but equal f ity. policies similar to the discriminatory Our Nation faces many challenges on MORNING HOUR DEBATES policies that were the force that the eve of the millennium, but inherent brought about the enactment of the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- in those challenges are a great many Civil Rights Act of 1964. ant to the order of the House of Janu- opportunities. Our Nation has flour- I am compelled to provide a voice for ary 19, 1999, the Chair will now recog- ished during this decade and right now, the thousands of low income, disadvan- nize Members from lists submitted by as we face the new millennium, the taged, the handicapped, elderly and the majority and minority leaders for most appropriate message we can pro- children who are deprived of the most morning hour debates. The Chair will vide to all Americans is to express our basic safety net programs that all alternate recognition between the par- commitment to the fundamental val- other Americans and immigrants can ties, with each party limited to 30 min- ues of our democracy. participate in the 50 States of the utes, and each Member, except the ma- As new initiatives to benefit Amer- Union. It is terrible to consider that jority leader, the minority leader or ican citizens, immigrants and the chil- our Nation's commitment to equality the minority whip, limited to 5 min- dren of undocumented immigrants in in health does not extend to the Amer- utes. the country are developed and imple- ican citizens in Puerto Rico or in The Chair recognizes the gentleman mented, I do not see the same concern Guam or in the Virgin Islands and thus from Puerto Rico (Mr. ROMERO- for the 3.8 million United States citi- deprives us of the necessary medical BARCELOÂ ) for 5 minutes. zens in Puerto Rico. The Americans in care that may prove the difference be- f the island continue to be neglected and tween life and death by virtue of the discriminated against by being barred fact that we reside in a territory. WHY ARE CITIZENS IN THE TERRI- from equitable participation in the Health discrimination is an abomina- TORIES DENIED WHAT ALL most fundamental rights of citizenship, tion. OTHER CITIZENS ARE GUARAN- the right to vote and the right to rep- This includes Medicaid, for which TEED? resentation, not to mention participa- Puerto Rico, contrary to the policy for Mr. ROMERO-BARCELOÂ . Mr. Speak- tion in the safety net programs that all other States, receives a block grant er, I am pleased to stand before you as provide basic relief to the neediest in capped this year at $171.5 million. I am we return from the district work ses- the Nation, the disadvantaged, the also talking about our exclusion from sion. The impeachment trial is offi- aged, the handicapped and the children. supplemental security income, the sup- cially behind us, and the Nation is It is distressing to behold that, by plemental income that ensures blind, ready for congressional action. The virtue of living in a territory, some disadvantaged and handicapped indi- American people expect us all to work American citizens do not have the viduals have income protection. I am together in a spirit of cooperation and same rights and benefits as all other also talking about Medicare and how bipartisan so that we can renew na- Americans in the Nation. Why are citi- reimbursement for providers has been tional confidence for a strong and uni- zens in the territories denied what all set at a lower rate despite the fact that b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H659 . H660 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE February 23, 1999 costs are comparable to the provision tended to reduce the repetitive annual Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, of services in many States. budget votes. It would also improve the yesterday there appeared an article in Unfortunately, as the Nation benefits entire process by allowing more time The New York Times entitled, ``There's from the tremendous budget surplus, for long-term planning and careful Plenty of Space for Suburbs to Keep the Americans in the territory will oversight of government spending. Sprawling''. This article, I feel, rep- also be excluded from many of the The bill converts the annual budget, resents a wrong turn in the discussion most significant policy initiatives pre- appropriations and authorization proc- about our communities and how to sented this session. ess into a 2-year cycle. The first ses- make them more livable. The facts are The $500 billion Social Security en- sion of Congress would be devoted to true but beside the point. hancement proposed by the Universal decisions on budget and appropriations It is true that we have only increased Savings Accounts, commonly referred issues. The President would start the the amount of developed land in this to as the USA accounts, will not apply process by submitting a 2-year budget, condition by two-tenths of a percent in to the citizens in the island, even which would cover the 2 years of the bi- recent years. It is true that we have a though we contribute to Social Secu- ennium, and planning levels for 2 addi- great deal of farmland. It is true that rity equally as all other citizens. What tional years. we are protecting more open space is more, money from our contributions Then Congress would adopt a 2-year around the country. But I think it is to the Social Security funds will be budget resolution, a 2-year reconcili- important for us to take a deep breath, used to manage and administer the ation bill, if necessary, and 2-year ap- step back, and look at what those facts propriations bills during the first ses- program which will be denied to us. represent. But this initiative is just one of the sion of a Congress. The second year could be used to consider multiyear au- To suggest somehow that we do not many new proposals that will not apply have a problem in terms of develop- to the nearly 4 million U.S. citizens in thorization bills and to oversight of Federal programs. We do not do enough ment in this country because we have a Puerto Rico. Many other proposals, large inventory of land is a lot like ranging from welfare to work, to build- oversight now. We do not have time with an annual budget to really look suggesting that just because the earth ing new schools, to providing incen- is 78 percent water we do not have tives to workers and even the em- into programs to see if they are work- ing well. problems of water supply and quality. powerment zones and the new market The fact is for much of the world, and initiatives that aim to simulate the The current budget process consumes more and more of Congress' time. In many places in the United States, we economic, will bypass us in the next often have too much water or we do century. We will not have the oppor- 1996, budget votes totaled about 70 per- cent of all votes. It does not leave time not have enough or it is too polluted or tunity to contribute to the well-being sometimes we have a combination of of the economy nor participate in the for many of the other responsibilities of the Congress; and, obviously, it all three of those problems. tax credits that are being proposed. As it relates to the quantity of farm- Mr.